Seeds of wellness for body, mind and spirit

What if I told you about a miracle cream that, if applied to your body on a regular basis, would deliver the following results: elevate mood, increase energy, reduce cholesterol and body fat, improve skin, improve lung and heart function, lengthen life expectancy, reduce risk of cancers and risk of dementia, improve sleep and libido, among other things? The only side effect is a feeling of moderate discomfort that lasts about 30 minutes. Would you buy it and use it?

You probably know where I’m going with this. There is no miracle cream, but there is a miracle treatment that delivers all that: exercise.

Sorry for the cheesiness of this post. But this thought did occur to me after I finished a 30-min run today. I realized I had done something really, really good for myself in so many different ways, and all it took was some discomfort for a relatively short time. I wondered, if any product on the market delivered all of these results for some comparably uncomfortable side effect, wouldn’t people still consume it? Then why is it so hard for us to make time for something as simple and good as exercise?

Now that the weather has been so nice I’ve been spending a lot more time outside (hence my hiatus from this blog. I promise to do better about posting). And because I’m outside so much better, I’ve been more consistent about getting some exercise in, which is great. The feeling at the end of a workout is great — not just because it’s over, but because you know you’ve accomplished something good. It makes me wonder why I put it off so much.

I hope this cheesy post inspires you to treat yourself to a workout. Enjoy the nice weather and get those mind and body benefits!

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This has been a special season of Lent and Easter for me. We had such a moving Tennebrae service at church this past Thursday, when we remembered Jesus’ death with symbols such as the dimming of lights and the taking away of the Christ candle. I really wasn’t expecting the emotional response I had to the service. It reminded me of how important rituals really are. This morning, as we celebrated Easter, the symbolism and ritual grabbed me again. As we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection with the bringing back of the Christ candle, and as we rang our bells while singing Alleluias, my heart was soaring. A post from a fellow blogger came to mind, and I thought I’d share it with you.
Wishing you the joy of Easter!

Last week I posted the top 5 things I am tired of hearing in churches. One of my readers pointed out another one, so I’m reserving it for a future date. I think I may have to expand my list of migraine-inducing Church-ese. I need more than a sentence or two for today’s Hated Slogan: “It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship.”

Let me unpack that one. First, I don’t know where this idea that religion is bad came from. Religion isn’t bad. There can be people practicing it who do bad things. There can be damaging theology attached to it. There can be bad things done in its name. But religion itself is not bad.

The word “religion” means rejoining. I like that, because the practice of spiritual discipline, corporate worship, and God-honoring ritual are all things that should help us reconnect both to the Divine and to…